Half the States Driving National Highway and Bridge Sector Job Gains

Highway and bridge construction employment increased by 3.4 percent in October 2017 compared to October 2016, a gain of 12,300 workers overall, according U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released Dec. 8. Year to date employment was up about 4 percent in the first 10 months of 2017, compared to the same time period last year.

Employment growth has been concentrated in about 25 U.S. states, according to ARTBA’s analysis of BLS quarterly data. This is consistent with ARTBA’s 2018 Market Forecast, available for purchase, which found growing state programs despite a downturn in overall transportation construction market activity at the national level.

The states with the largest gains in the number of private highway and bridge jobs include Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, Colorado, California, Washington and Arizona. The states with the largest percentage increase in highway and bridge construction employment are New Hampshire, Arkansas, Delaware and Nevada.

Some of the largest employment declines have been in North Dakota, Illinois, Louisiana, Virginia, Maryland, Nebraska, Kentucky, Connecticut.